In the framework of the West African Customs Administrations Modernization (WACAM) project, funded by Sweden, a regional support mission in the field of Human Resource Management (HRM) was carried out by the WCO from the 4th to the 8th of May 2015 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The mission is a direct response to the request of the West and Central African region to develop regional expertise to carry out Human Resource Management modernization initiatives at the national and regional levels. As a result, the present mission endeavored to build the capacities of participants to better understand the HR function, key HR processes and the importance of applying a competency-based HRM approach. Furthermore the workshop enabled the participants to apply their new knowledge and skills to develop initial drafts of fundamental tools for their Administrations to embark on the application of a competency-based HRM approach, namely job catalogue, competency framework and a job description.
The workshop benefited 21 participants from 7 West (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal) and Central (African (Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon) countries as well as from the Regional Office for Capacity-Building based in Abidjan. At the end of the workshop, regional and national roadmaps for the next steps were developed and the beneficiary Administrations have a clear idea of where to focus their efforts for HRM modernization initiatives.
This workshop will be followed by national support missions in the most visibly engaged Administrations as well as by another regional workshop at the end of the year on "HRM Diagnostic and Facilitation techniques". Additionally, the WCO is developing the "WCO People Diagnostic Tool" which will be used within the HRM efforts of the WCO- WACAM Project. By 2016, it is hoped that the region will be able to rely on a regional pool of HRM experts that have demonstrated their ability to successfully pilot and carry out HRM modernization initiatives at the national level.
For more information, please contact the WCO - WACAM Project Manager, Mr. Richard Chopra (richard.chopra@wcoomd.org).